A rumen-bypass preparation for ruminants is defined as a preparation of a feed additive which comprises one or more of amino acids, vitamins and other biologically-active substances and has a specific characteristic to allow elution and absorption of said biologically-active substances in digestive organs of ruminants from their forth stomach onward while restricting the elution and microbial decomposition of said substances in their rumen.
In breeding of ruminants, it is well accepted from dietetic and clinical point of view to feed them simultaneously with a biologically-active substance contained in a rumen-bypass preparation. In practices, the incorporation of a biologically-active substance at a high concentration to a rumen-bypass preparation is economically advantageous and favorable. Where, the hardness of the preparation is very important in view of durability during the mixing process with feed and during chewing of cows. However, when increasing the concentration of a biologically-active substance in a preparation, it is required to reduce the content of a protective substance in the preparation, which has therefore made difficult to maintain rumen-bypass property and hardness of the preparation. In order to solve this problem, a protective substance having more improved property than the previous ones be inevitably required. Under the absence of such coating material, the concentration of a biologically-active substance in a matrix-type rumen-bypass preparation has been obliged to be less than 50%.
The concept and many practical examples of rumen-bypass preparations have been already publicly known, however, there is no example for a matrix-type preparation which can contain a biologically-active substance at a high concentration of more than 50%, which is known as highly-concentrated preparation in the industry. An example which uses salts of aliphatic acids (fatty acids) as a protective substance has been disclosed, however, no example, where the protective substance can contain a biologically-active substance at a high concentration of more than 50% and give good rumen-bypass property, has not been disclosed.
In Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 2-163043 Gazette, a concept for a matrix-type preparation which uses fatty acid salts and a fatty compound as a protective substance compatible to those salts is disclosed, however, the concentration of a biologically-active substance contained in the preparation is lower than 10%, and wherein no concrete description on the preparation containing more than 50% of the biologically-active substance is given.
On the other hand, an example wherein calcium salt of a fatty acid and stearyl alcohol were combined and used as a protective substance at a combining rate of 58:2 (97:3) is disclosed in International Patent Open No. WO/12731, however, the concentration of a biologically-active substance is yet lower than 50%.
In Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 56-154956 Gazette, a matrix-type preparation which uses fatty protective substance is disclosed, however, the content of a biologically-active substance is lower than 50% and the composition of the protective substance is different from the one given in the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,963, a fatty acid salt with high purity used as a feed additive and preparing method thereof are disclosed, however, the object of this invention is different from the one of the present invention and the content of a biologically-active substance is also far different from the one of the present invention.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 3-31423, a coating method to use a fatty acid salt containing 14 or more carbons is disclosed, however, the coated-layer is a layer of a mixture containing a fatty acid salt of less than 90% and the structure of the nuclear particles are different from the one of the present invention.
Considering such difficulties remained in the prior arts, the present invention has an object to provide an economically advantageous rumen-bypass preparation which can contain a biologically-active substance at a high concentration and is using a protective substance originating in natural substance and being harmless to the ecological system, such as fats and oil, and wax.